1. Field of the Invention
The invention primarily relates to a composition and method for the treatment of non-bacterial cystitis and, more particularly, to a composition and method for treating non-bacterial chronic interstitial cystitis syndromes using bioflavonoids in a treatment composition and in a treatment method.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Interstitial cystitis represents a non-specific group of urinary tract and, particularly, bladder related problems and is often characterized by pain, which may actually adopt the form of phantom symptomatic pain. Interstitial cystitis is generally a pervasive inflammatory condition of the bladder and can be disabling to a sufferer. The symptoms usually suffered are bladder pain and frequent micturition. (urination). Interstitial cystitis is one of the conditions in which very few of the available therapies are effective.
At present, the cause for this condition is not fully known. As a result, there is frequently no known cure for non-bacterial interstitial cystitis, although there are several therapies of varying effectiveness, and usually of limited effectiveness. These therapies are generally designed to address the issues of pain and discomfort as well as the other symptoms arising from this condition, but are not specific to any effective cure or permanent treatment therefor.
Subjects having chronic interstitial cystitis refractory to conventional therapies often present frustration to a urologist attempting to treat that condition. For patients who do not respond to antibiotic therapy, but have negative fluid cultures, the etiology is unclear. It is recognized that a certain percentage of these patients probably have persistent bacterial infections.
There is still a great deal of controversy concerning the pathophysiology and the treatment which may be appropriate therefor. At present, prolonged antibiotic therapy is common for both the bacterial and the non-bacterial cystitis. However, where microbial therapy has shown itself to be relatively ineffective, other therapies have used alpha-blockers, anti-inflammatory agents and muscles relaxants. Nevertheless, these therapies have only met with variable success. There has been some use of dimethyl sulfoxide in a 50% solution (known as Rimso 50) as an attempt to relieve some of the symptoms of this condition. However, this composition is introduced intervesically, usually by means of a catheter and therefore not an effective home use treatment.
Beyond the therapies which attempt to elevate this condition, anti-pain medication, including various tricylic medications have been employed. Biofeedback for pain control has been also employed. Even surgery has been used as a mode of treatment, but the patient frustration with this type of treatment is relatively high.
The existence of chronic interstitial cystitis syndromes are therefore well known and are common disorders in women, particularly as age progresses. However, very few of the available therapies are effective for treatment of this condition, as aforesaid. There has been some evidence that bioflavonoids in general have improved the symptoms of this disorder in cases where tried. The use of the bioflavonoids has been well tolerated in tests and does provide some slight symptomatic improvement.
There have been some tests with patients using the bioflavonoid quercetin, alone. The symptomatic response of these patients taking quercetin has been significant. However, few patients ever became completely asymptomatic. Severe urinary symptoms in particular were least likely to improve with the quercetin alone. However, pain was controlled.
Today, the available modes of treatment are relatively ineffective or have only limited effectiveness. Thus, there has been a need for some therapy to treat chronic non-bacterial interstitial cystitis.